Preview

Motivation Theory

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2303 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Motivation Theory
Motivation Theory
Introduction
In this competitive market it is easy to replicate products, but cannot replicate motivated employees. The important factor to achieve success in the business is that the manager should have the ability to understand and motivate their employees. Since every individual employee is different from others so it can be challenging to understand each employee’s need and to apply the right motivational theory.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Abraham Maslow’s theory is focused on hierarchy of need which motivates employee at work. The hierarchy of needs are physiological, security need, social need, esteem need and self-actualization (Robbins & Judge, 2011). It has been suggested (Steers & Mowday & Shapiro, 2004) that once the individual fulfil their basic needs they move up the hierarchy and try to achieve the next need.
Maslow (1954) argues that the satisfied need no longer motivates. Thus, once a need is satisfied, an individual seeks to achieve the next level, as only the unmet need motivates. When applied to work, the theory implies that managers must understand the current need level of each employee to know what will motivate them. A new hire that has been unemployed for an extended time will likely be motivated by the physiological need for basic survival. On the other hand, an employee concerned with career advancement may be looking to achieve self-actualization. Steers, Mowday and Shapiro (2004) suggest that healthy personality can be developed when the employee have satisfied lower order need, also called deficiency need whereas higher order need represent growth need that relates to individual achievement and the development of potential.
Schwartz, (1983) argues that in Maslow’s theory people cannot move up to next level of hierarchy if they have not satisfied the lower level but in reality people irrespective of the hierarchy will derive motivation depending on the situation and circumstances. However, this problem can be



References: Alderfer, C.P. 1972. Existence, relatedness and growth: Human needs in organizational settings. New York: Free Press. Carrell, M.R. & Dittrich, J.E. 1978. Equity theory: The recent literature, methodological considerations, and new directions. The Academy of Management Review, 3, 2: 202-210. House, R. & Wigdor, L. (1967). “Herzberg 's dual-factor theory of job satisfaction and motivation”: a review of the evidence and a criticism. Personnel Psychology, 20, 4, pp. 369-387. Huseman, R., Hatfield, J. & Miles, E. (1987). A new perspective on equity theory: the equity sensitivity construct. Academy of Management Review, 12, 2, pp. 222-234. Kuvaas, B. (2006). Work performance, affective commitment, and work motivation: the role of pay administration and pay level. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 27, pp. 365-385. Maslow, A. 1954. Motivation and personality. New York: Harper. Robbins, S.P. & Judge, T.A. 2011. Organizational Behavior. (14th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education. Schwartz, H. (1983). “Maslow and the hierachical enactment of organizational reality”. Human Relations, 36, 10, pp. 933-956. Steers, R., Mowday, R Usher, J.M. 2000. Dialogue, Comment on socioevolutionary theory. Academy of Management Review, 25, 4: 696-701. Theory." Paper presented at the American Psychological Association Convention, New York, September, 1966. Wahba, M.A. & Bridwell, L.G. 1973. Maslow reconsidered: A review of research on the need hierarchy theory. Academy of Management Proceedings, 514-520. Wood, J., Chapman, J., Fromholtz, M., Morrison, V., Wallace, J., Zeffane, R.M., Schermerhorn, J.R., Hunt, J.G. & Osborn, R.N. 2004. Organizational Behavior: A Global Perspective. (3rd ed.). Australia: John Wiley & Sons.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In 1943, Dr. Abraham Harold Maslow's article “A Theory of Human Motivation” appeared in Psychological Review, which was further expanded upon in his book: Toward a Psychology of Being. In this article, Abraham H. Maslow attempted to formulate a needs-based framework of human motivation and based upon his clinical experiences with humans, rather than prior psychology theories of his day from authors such as Freud and B.F. Skinner, which were largely theoretical or based upon animal behaviour. From this theory of motivation, modern leaders and executive managers find means of motivation for the purposes of employee and workforce management. Abraham Maslow's book Motivation and Personality (1954), formally introduced the Hierarchy of Needs.…

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    After Abraham Maslow met Kurt Goldstein, who originated the concept of self-actualization, he began his movement for humanistic psychology. Early in his career Maslow worked with monkeys and he noticed that some needs took precedence over others. Maslow took this observation and created the theory of the Hierarchy of Needs. These needs were considered current motivations if they were not actualized. These needs are the Physiological Needs, the Safety and Security Needs, the Love and Belonging Needs, the Need for Self Esteem and the Need for Self Actualization (Boeree, 2006). As we consider the practical use of the Psychology of Personality in the workplace, fulfilling the needs of an employee as a means to motivation is an effective tool.…

    • 1566 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs theory is the most basic motivation theory. However, there are certain elements in the theory that are questionable. The first and most basic criticism is that measurement of needs and whether they are fulfilled or not is very difficult. In this particular research, employees from Telenor were required to rate their needs on a scale of 1 to 5, however, what any research on Maslow’s theory conveniently forgoes is the fact that needs cannot be classified on a scale. They cannot be measured neither an individual can judge whether a certain need is fulfilled or not. Therefore, the ratings that they have provided for different needs are merely based on instincts.…

    • 926 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    IMChap012

    • 6879 Words
    • 26 Pages

    Like Maslow’s theory, Herzberg’s two-factor theory has received considerable attention in the international arena, and Herzberg’s original findings from the United States have been replicated in other countries. Cross-cultural studies related to job satisfaction also have been conducted. The data show that job content is more important than job context to job satisfaction.…

    • 6879 Words
    • 26 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Groups in Organizations

    • 2078 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Abraham Maslow advanced the Hierarchy of Needs model in 1940-50s, and this theory continues to be currently acceptable for interpretation of human motivation, supervision instruction, and individual growth. Maslow 's philosophy of Needs regarding the duty of companies to offer a work atmosphere that inspires, and permits the achievement of personal potential (self-actualization) are continuously pertinent. Maslow’s theory places individual needs into five…

    • 2078 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the most widely mentioned theories of motivation is the hierarchy of needs theory put forth by Maslow. Maslow saw human needs in the form of a hierarchy, ascending from the lowest to the highest, and he concluded that when one set of needs is satisfied, this kind of need ceases to be a motivator. Herzberg stated that there are certain satisfiers and dissatisfies for employees at work. Removing dissatisfying characteristics from a job does not necessarily make the job satisfying. He states that presence of certain factors in the organization is natural and the presence of the same does not lead to motivation.…

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Study Guide for Tourism

    • 3780 Words
    • 16 Pages

    Maslow’s Hierarchy model: the theory of motivation proposed by Maslow is in the form of a ranking, or hierarchy, of the arrangements of individual needs. The theory of motivation is holistic and dynamic and can be applied to both work and non-work sphere of life. Maslow identified two motivational types : 1. Deficiency or tension-reducing motives 2. Inductive or arousal –seeking motives…

    • 3780 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    What Is Hrm?

    • 1481 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The work of Maslow in stating that humans have a ‘hierarchy’ of needs, which they will exert considerable energy towards achieving, claims that organisations that recognises and addresses these needs will have a happier, more fulfilled, more loyal and productive workforce.…

    • 1481 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “According to humanist psychologist Abraham Maslow, our actions are motivated in order achieve certain needs. Maslow first introduced his concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation" and his subsequent book Motivation and Personality. This hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs.” (Cherry, n.d.) I am going to attempt to illustrate the relevance of Maslow’s theory in my own life and that of my colleagues.…

    • 719 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Human Behavior

    • 1639 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Abraham Maslow • developed the Hierarchy of Needs model in 194050s, and the Hierarchy of Needs theory remains valid today for understanding human motivation, management training, and personal development. • Espouses the idea of developing the personality toward the ultimate achievement of human potential. “Maslow’s believes the person must work his way up the succeeding steps of a hierarchy of needs.” .” Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Original five-stage model) (. . .…

    • 1639 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Volunteerism

    • 3699 Words
    • 14 Pages

    Wahba, M.A. & Bridwell, L.G. (1976). Maslow reconsidered: A review of research on the need hierarchy theory. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance , 15, 212–240.…

    • 3699 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    Most motivational theories of today, whether workplace or elsewhere, were introduced by Maslow, a behavioral psychologist, who, in 1954, introduced the concept that people attempt to satisfy their personal needs through context of their work (Gawel, 1999). Maslow developed the hierarchy of needs, focusing on the idea that people do not pursue the next highest need in a hierarchy until a current, or recognized, need was completely satisfied (Gawel, 1999). The five levels Maslow introduced were physiological (food, housing and clothing); safety, social, ego, then finally, self-actualization (Lindner, 1998).…

    • 1139 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Motivation and Employees

    • 5207 Words
    • 21 Pages

    Abraham Maslow is well renowned for proposing the Hierarchy of Needs Theory in 1943. This theory is a classical depiction of human motivation. This theory is based on the assumption that there is a hierarchy of five needs within each individual. The urgency of these needs varies. These five needs are as follows-…

    • 5207 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can be described as one of the most wellknown motivation theory’s (Robbins, et al., 2009:145). The Hierarchy of Needs…

    • 2172 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The personnel manager of the Bradley Clothing Company, Alice Johnson thinks the theories of Maslow and Herzberg are very suitable for the management; therefore, she put the theory into practice. The outcome is not what she expected, so this is the main discussion point about the relationship between theory and reality. The theories of Maslow and Herzberg are surely worthy to be the reference for implementation, but there are still some theories which assist and support these two theories to make it more complete, and it is also very important to take this into consideration. In the following, I am going to discuss the combination of those theories and the practical method for execution.…

    • 1973 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays